


Auntie Sara

by Anna Noëlle (AnnaNL9902)



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-08
Updated: 2019-10-10
Packaged: 2020-04-23 02:07:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,879
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19141420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnnaNL9902/pseuds/Anna%20No%C3%ABlle
Summary: When two young children arrive at The Waverider, Sara has a mystery to solve. Who are these children and who are their parents?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The story is set after season 3. Nora has escaped the Timebureau and is on the run. 
> 
> English isn't my native language, so please, if you find any mistakes, let me know!

Whistling Sara walked through the halls of the Waverider, being on her way to the kitchen. By now they have come back from their, interrupted by Gary and John, vacation on Aruba and now it was just waiting for John. The timeline had decided to keep quiet today, something that Sara didn’t mind so fast after their vacation. While she walked further, she hears a time courier opening a portal. Thinking it was Ava, she walked swiftly towards the noise, when suddenly a little girl bump into her. The little girl clamped around her leg and a couple of seconds a little boy clamped around her other leg. As a reflex, Sara wanted to pull the two children from her legs, until the children started talking.  
“Auntie Sara.” Sara’s mouth dropped to the floor. Did these children just call het auntie Sara? She rapidly observed the two children. Two pairs of the same green blue eyes looked at her and both had dark hair, but the boy’s hair looked more like it was dark brown and the girl’s hair was more like it was black. Ze guessed both kids were around four, even though the boy looked a little bit smaller. But didn’t boys develop slower than girls around that age? It had been too long ago since Sara went babysitting, that she had forget most of it. The two children looked like each other and Sara wouldn’t be surprised if someone said they were siblings, perhaps even twins. Again an ‘auntie Sara’ reminded her that there were two kids clinging to her legs. She shifted her attention to the kids, hoping they wouldn’t have noticed her thinking.

“Hey, what were you names again?” she asked quickly, perhaps that she would be able to figure out a little bit more about these children. For example, who their parents were.

“Silly auntie Sara,” the girl said, while letting go of Sara’s leg, “my name is Rue and that is my little brother Adam. You remember that, don’t you?” 

Sara nodded. “Of course, I remember,” Sara started, “Rue and Adam.” She said the two names awkwardly. “Would you two like something to drink?” She would take them with her to the kitchen, hoping no one would be in there and hoping no one would notice that they were on the ship. 

“Yes,” Adam yelled, while he also let go of Sara’s leg. Two pair of twinkling eyes looked at Sara. “Can we have a hot chocolate with whipped cream and caramel sauce, auntie Sara?”

“Please?” Rue tried to help her brothers’ case. 

“Alright then, off to the kitchen we go.” The two children skipped to the kitchen, Sara walking behind them. Apparently, they knew the way, because they went straight towards the kitchen.

 

Thinking the hot chocolate with whipped cream and caramel sauce was kind of an odd request, Sara decided to kindly interrogate the two kids. With a hot cup of coffee in Sara’s hand and two cups of hot chocolate for Rue and Adam, Sara’s interrogation started. “Adam, how old are you?”

Adam looked surprised at Sara. “I’m already so many years,’ he said, while trying to raise three fingers. It seemed like his motoric skills hadn’t developed properly yet, to be able to raise three fingers. 

“And what about you Rue?”

“Three also,” she answered uninterested. Still looking at her cup of hot chocolate. 

Not felling content about how the conversation was going, Sara was going to try another way. “Are you twins?” They both nodded, but that was all Sara could get. “What is the name of your father?”

“Daddy.”

“And your mother?”

“Mommy.”

Sara sighted, while straightening her back. With this information she still wouldn’t know who these kids were in like a year. “Rue, wat is your surname? Do you know that?”

This time Rue looked as surprised as Adam looked a minute ago. “Palmer, when mommy is angry with me, she always calls me ‘Rue Palmer’, but when she is really mad, she calls me ‘Rue Victoria Palmer’, Rue rambled. Suddenly everything fell into place, Rue’s dark hair and Rue’s rambling. This were Ray’s children, that was why they called her ‘auntie’ Sara and why they knew their way around the ship. 

“Ray is your dad?” Sara asked, looking for certainty. Rue shrugged her shoulders and went back to drinking her hot chocolate, while Adam really tried to think. 

“I don’t know, auntie Sara.”

‘Is it okay if Zari watches you for a little while? I have to talk to someone for a little while.’ While the two children sat quietly, Sara asked Gideon if she could call Zari for her. When Zari arrived, Sara explained the entire story to her and left the children in Zari’s care. She was on her way, going to talk to Ray, perhaps he knew more. 

 

It wasn’t that after talking to Ray, that Sara knew more about these children. But Sara and Ray decided that Ray would go in and try to talk to the twins. Ray and Zari switched places, but the chance to sit down, was taken away by the twins. “Daddy,’ Adam yelled, while two tiny hands shot through the air, hoping that he could sit in Ray’s lap. Ray was startled, while Rue started rambling again. Never in his entire life had he been called ‘daddy’ and these children just called him that, like it was the most usual thing in the world, but for them it was. He was their dad. He was a dad; well, in the future. He lifted Adam and then Rue in his lap. Shortly hugging them. 

“Daddy, where is mommy?” Rue took him out of his mind. He looked at Rue. He didn’t know where their mother was. He didn’t even know who their mother was. 

Ray softly caressed through Rue’s long dark brown hair. “What is the name of your mommy?’ Ray looked in Rue’s and Adam’s green blue eyes. Rue had a fierce look in her eyes, while Adam looked like an even younger child, with his thumb in his mouth.

With the fierce and in the same time stubborn look in her eyes, Rue crossed her arms. “Mommy’s name is just mommy,” she announced. Before Ray could ask another question, the threesome was interrupted by the loud alarm, which sounded through the entire Waverider. Ray carefully put the twins on the ground and decided – against better judgement – to leave the children alone in his own cabin for a little while. When he arrived a couple minutes later, the entire group was already divided in the smaller groups and they were ready to go. The group left quickly, leaving him all alone in the headquarters. 

“Gideon, could you pull up the live-feed of the team, please”’ Luckily – or unluckily, depends on how you look at the situation – he wasn’t alone for long, because before Gideon could pull up the live-feed, two toddlers ran towards him. 

“Daddy, up,” Adam moaned. Ray happily lifted Adam with one arm and lifted Rue with the other. This was okay for a while, until they started moving excessively.

“Daddy, mommy,” Rue screamed, while pointing at the screen. Ray put the children on the ground and watched at the screen. And again, his yaw hit the floor. The mission was to catch the woman for whom he had risked so much. And literally everting fell into place, the familiar blue green eyes, the dark brown hair, their love for hot chocolate with whipped cream and caramel sauce, het startling face. This woman was going to be the mother of his children. Nora.

 

For weeks Nora Darhk has been on the run and for weeks it had gone okay. Until today. She had been sloppy. In the beginning she had been careful, maybe even too careful, but today she wasn’t and that was her big mistake. Now she stood here, in 2018, in a tiny ally a couple mile from the Timebureau, surrounded by The Legends. She looked around her, looking for Ray, but he wasn’t there. She had hoped that he could help her, but if he wasn’t here, he wouldn’t be able to help her… She thought she had to learn how to take care of herself and not having to rely on Ray for help. She also thought she had to stop abusing Ray’s willingness to help her, because if he would notice then he would stop helping her if she really needed it. “Nora, surrender. Stop running,” She heard Sara say. The Legends came closer, step by step. The did it slow, but they still came closer. Her gut told her that she had to get out of this situation, so she looked around, but there was no exit to be found. Step. Step. Another step. She felt her magic coursing through her veins. Her fingertips started tingling. She saw her hand and knew that if the Legends would take another step, she could attack them. She didn’t want to, her magic came from her father and despite that it was her father, she knew that he had done bad things in her name and that that magic had to be dark magic. When suddenly someone ran into her from behind, she turned and wanted to shoot, until she looked into the eyes of a young girl. 

“Mommy,’ the girl yelled and threw her arms around Nora. Surprised, Nora looked up from the child clinging to her legs and looked straight into Ray Palmers eyes, who also held a child in his arms. 

“Everyone, stand down,” he ordered the whole team, his eyes never leaving Nora’s. He could sense a glimpse of happiness in Nora’s eyes. She was safe. For now. 

“Can he do that?” Nate asked, but nobody gave him an answer. They were all to fixated on Nora and the little girl clinging to her leg. 

The little girl jumped up and down and ran around in a circle around Nora. Then the little girl launched herself at Nora’s legs again. “Hello?” Nora inquired.

Rue smiled, while Nora carefully put a hand on Rue’s back. “Hi mommy,” Rue answered.

With even more question marks on her face, Nora looked at Ray and the little boy, that tiredly rested on Ray’s chest. “Nora, I would like you to meet Rue Victoria Palmer, the little,” Rue looked furiously at her dad, “excuse me, big girl clinging to your legs and Adam Palmer, the tough boy I have over here.” Nora almost fainted at hearing this piece of information. 

“Adam Nathaniel Palmer, daddy,” sounded whispering from Ray’s chest. Nate surprised looked up by hearing his name. 

“Oh, sorry sweetheart, this is Adam Nathaniel Palmer.”

Nora still looked like she didn’t understand anything that Ray had just said. “But, how?” She stammered. “I know that Rue is after my mother, I always liked the name Victoria, Adam is probably a reference to the ATOM-suit and Nathaniel is after Nate, but how?” She is pretty sure that she has never been pregnant in her life and she most certainly has never had twins. There was also the thing that she was still a virgin, so how was this possible?

“Adam and Rue are from the future,” had Nate figured out, before anyone could say anything. Ray nodded as a confirmation. Nora let her eyes wander form Rue, to Adam, who slept on Ray’s chest and to Ray. She couldn’t believe it. One day she would have this perfect family. Nora started shaking and had difficulties breathing. Like everything happened in slow motion, dropped Nora towards the ground. Rue climbed in Nora’s lap and hugged her mother. Sara picked up Nora’s signals about her panic attack and took Adam from Ray, so that Ray could run towards Nora. Ray wanted to send Rue to Sara, but Rue hugged Nora way too tight to let Ray be able to let her let go of her mother. Ray sat across from Nora, wanting to talk to her, but Rue beat him to it. 

“Calm down, mommy, you just have to remember to breathe, okay. You remember that, don’t you? Daddy always says that I have to say to you that everything is going to be alright. Oh, and daddy, Adam and I love you, so much.” Rue spread her arms and Nora pulled the little girl into her chest again. Ray could detect a small smile on her face, while Nora looked at him. He demonstrated to Nora how she had to breathe and she his orders without questioning. A couple minutes later was Nora’s breathing under control. Nora looked gratefully at Ray and pushed her little girl a little bit closer to her chest. She wouldn’t have been able to do this without him. He was always there when she needed someone.

“Rue, would you come with me and Adam to the Waverider? Then your mom and dad can have a long overdue conversation,” Sara asked.

Angrily crossed Rue her arms and stared at Sara. “I’m staying with mommy.” There was a little pause. “And with daddy.”

“If this is my child, I would give up Sara,” Nora smiled, “if I sat my mind to something, nothing could stop me.” Ray laughed. 

“Just give me Adam,” Ray said to Sara. Sara gave him Adam, while Ray continued. “Rue is probably going to fall asleep soon and then we will keep her with us. I don’t want to separate them. They are from a different time and I don’t want to change anything else for them.”

“I’m leaving the Jumpship here, so you can fly back to the Waverider once you’re finished, alright?” Ray nodded to his captain. “That also counts for you Nora, I want to speak both of you on the Waverider. I want to know how you are going to handle this with these two and I want to hear what the both of you want, understood?’ Both Ray and Nora nodded this time. The team left with the Waverider, leaving Nora, Ray, Rue and Adam alone. 

“Jitters?” Ray asked Nora and Ray saw Nora’s eyes light up of enthusiasm. So that was how this abnormal, but oh so normal family of four walked through the streets, on their way to the nearest Jitters. 

Once they were inside, Rue sprinted to a table in the back of the café. Ray looked at Nora and Nora nodded softly. No words were necessary, which was kind of odd, considering they barely knew each other. Yet, needing no words, Nora knew that Ray was asking her permission to sit at Rue’s chosen table. “Hot chocolate with whipped cream and caramel sauce?” Ray asked Nora and the look in her eyes changed from neutral to a soft, but in the same time very unsure. 

“You remembered that?”

“But of course, you’re such a sweet and kind child and you’re so happy to go here, how could I have not remembered that?” Ray asked her, but before Nora could answer, Ray continued his compliments. “You also passed your love for hot chocolate with whipped cream and caramel sauce on to our children.” They both started laughing. “Shall I order four hot chocolate with whipped cream and caramel sauce? Could you take Adam and see what Rue is up to?” Without having to answer, took Nora Adam, while – uncomprehendingly – Adam kept sleeping. Nora walked, with Adam leaning to her chest, towards Rue, who had fallen asleep on a chair. Ray looked at Nora and his heart jumped out of love. Feeling love for this woman, who had been through so much in her life and who had made so many mistakes, but who still had the love in her heart to treat her future children so tenderly and treat them with so much love. Feeling so much love for his future children, who made him a father including all the feelings that were supposed to be there because of that and let him be the best version of himself. This had always been Ray’s dream, but never though that his dream would become reality, after Anna, Felicity and Kendra, he had given up hope that is ever would’ve happened. Now that that dream had become reality, he couldn’t believe that his dream had become reality, but it was reality.

In love did Nora look at the child, who was sleeping on her chest and at the child who was asleep in the chair next to her. These were her children, they might be from the future, but they were still her children. One day Ray and her would get these children. One day they would raise these children together. One day they might even become a couple. After her parents died, Nora never dreamed about becoming a mother. It also wasn’t that The Order let her dream about something like that. Even after she had been dedemonized, she never once thought about becoming a mom. Maybe it was also the fact that she was running for her freedom, but her running had to stop. She didn’t just have to think about herself anymore, she had two children to think of from now on. And Ray. She couldn’t permit it anymore to not include Ray in her decisions, Ray who would do anything for her. Whom she, if she was being honest with herself, loved. “Four hot choc-,” interrupted Ray her thinking, until he realized that both Rue and Adam were asleep. Nora offered him a faint, yet a proud smile. She had this. She could take care of her own children for a while, without something bad happening. Ray grabbed one of the four cups and handed Nora one.

“Thank you,” Nora answered when she took her cup. Ray grabbed his own cup and sat down in the chair across Nora. In silence they both enjoyed their hot chocolate. Words weren’t necessary. They would have their conversation later. Right now, they were just going to enjoy each other’s company and their damping cup of hot chocolate.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to @MrsNoraPalmer for editing this chapter, you're my new personal hero!

“Rue, please stop moving. I’m almost done,” Nora grumbled against her future three-year-old daughter, whom she had met this very morning. Rue kept moving, while her mother tried to braid her hair.

“But I want to play, mommy.”

“I know, sweetheart, but this looks funny, doesn’t it?” Rue looked in the mirror, which hung against the wall and saw that she was wearing one and a half braids. Nora braided her daughter’s hair quickly, until she was done. “Done, are you going to play?” Rue nodded and ran away, leaving Nora alone. Nora sighed and put the hair comb down and the bows back where they belonged.

This morning her entire life had been turned upside down, but it felt like it was three days. Perhaps because so much had happened, perhaps because the children used so much energy, perhaps because this whole awkward situation used so much energy. Nora didn’t know. This morning she had met her future children, at noon she has spoken with Ray at Jitters, and then they had a meeting with Sara and Ava. After the meeting, she had moved her very little stuff into Ray’s room, where she and the children would sleep for now. Eventually, she had finally gotten some peace and quiet, until Rue asked her if she could braid her hair. Even though Nora wasn’t a hair-braiding expert, she had learned how to braid when she still went to school. So, she had braided her daughter’s hair, as best as she could.

She had found it soothing, until Rue had started moving. Suddenly, she understood why her mother braided her hair so often when she was younger. The fact that you didn’t have to think about anything while you were braiding someone’s hair.. When everything was cleaned up, Nora thought about what she was going to do now. There wasn’t much she could do, considering she didn’t want to bump into the other Legends, so she had to start looking for Ray, Rue, or Adam. So that was what she was going to do. She walked out of the fabrication room and walked towards Ray’s bedroom, hoping they were there, but they weren’t there. Then she walked to the lab, when she got close, she heard Adam’s laughter and Ray’s grumbling. She entered the lab, looked around it and saw her three favorite people sitting at the table, cards in the middle. Nora didn’t recognize the game, but that happens when you didn’t have a normal childhood.

“Mommy,” greeted Adam her quickly, who ran towards her and clung against Nora’s legs. What kind of obsession these kids had with her legs, Nora didn’t know, but she lifted him and hugged him as greeting and walked with him towards the table.

Nora sat down on the chair next to Rue and put Adam on her lap. “What are you guys playing?” Nora asked curiously, while stroking soothingly through Adams hair.

“We play memory, mommy. Don’t you see that?’ Rue replied, while flipping a card in utter concentration. A chicken appeared on the other side of the card and she happily grabbed the card, together with another card that had a chicken.

Ray scanned the cards and looked at Rue. “Oh no, you’re not going to tell me that you already have another set, don’t you Rue?’

Rue giggled. “Sorry, daddy.” Ray sighed and flipped two cards, knowing they wouldn’t be a match. “Mommy, you play?” Nora stared at Rue, surprised.

“Mommy doesn’t know how to play.” And “Teach me,” said Ray and Nora at the same time.

“You really want to learn?” Ray asked Nora worriedly. 

Nora nodded, with a determined look in her eyes. “Teach me how to play.”

 

After an exhausting day, the small newfound family stood in the bathroom, or Ray, Rue and Adam stood there. Nora decided that she would make the beds for the kids, if Ray would brush their teeth. Everything was fine on Nora’s end, but Ray had a challenge. The two little monkeys climbed on and jumped off everything, with their toothbrushes in their mouths. When Ray had put one on the ground, the other one would be climbing already. They said raising twins is hard, but rewarding, Ray now completely understood the saying. “Daddy, done,” Adam interrupted Ray’s thinking. Without having to say anything, Ray squatted and checked Adam’s teeth, while Rue clung to his shoulders.

“You did great, Adam. Why don’t you go to mommy already?” Ray almost hadn’t even noticed that he called Nora mommy, it felt so natural. Adam ran out of the bathroom, leaving Ray and Rue alone.

 

“Hey Adam, you’ve already brushed your teeth?” Nora inquired, when she saw Adam enter the room. Exhausted, Adam fell on his bed. Nora laughed. “Are you tired, little monkey?” Adam nodded slowly. “Shall in tuck you in?” Adam nodded again. He was too tired to form coherent sentences, but he adored this quality time with his mother and didn’t want to miss this, which made him fight his tiredness.

Nora lifted Adam’s blanket and Adam snuggled into the bed, while Nora tucked him in.  
“Are we talking before bed, mommy?”

“Do you want to?” Adam nodded. “What would you like to talk about?”

“You decide, mommy.”

“Alright, uh.” Nora thought for a couple seconds. “What would you like to be when you grow up?”

“Just as big and cool as mommy and daddy,” Adam responded, when the doors opened, and Rue ran inside. Rue launched herself on the bed next to Adam and snuggled under the blankets.

Nora lovingly stroked Adam's hair. “I know for sure that one day you’ll be just as tall and just as cool as mommy and daddy, sweetie.” Ray quietly entered the room, standing in the doorway. Nora had noticed him, but the children hadn’t seen him yet. “And what do you want to be when you grow up, Rue?”

“I want to be just as big and pretty as you mommy,” Rue cheered. Nora felt her heart grow about ten sizes, because of this compliment. Nora never realized that children could bring you so much love. She never realized that you could even feel this much love. These two children had given and let her receive more love in the past ten hours, then she had ever felt in her entire life. 

Nora looked at Ray and without having to speak, Ray knew what she wanted to do, so he walked towards the beds. She lovingly kissed Rue’s and Adam’s foreheads, which actions Ray mirrored. Eventually, Nora turned their night light on and tucked them in again. “Sweet dreams, Rue and Adam.”

“Goodnight daddy, goodnight mommy,” they heard their children mumble and soon the two fell asleep. Nora and Ray sneaked into the hallway and let Gideon close the door, leaving them alone in the hallway.

“You know what, we make a pretty good team,” Ray complimented. “Thanks for that.” Nora her cheeks turned red.

“I should thank you, silly.” Nora hit Ray’s chest playfully. “I couldn’t have done this without you. I never even thought I could do this,” Nora stuttered.

“You did amazing. You are amazing,” Ray kept praising her.

“Another game of memory?” Nora dared him, swiftly switching from their last subject.

“You know I lose on purpose for the kids, right?”

Nora’s eyes sparkled. “We’ll see about that.”

 

The duo gave up after a couple of games, Ray kept winning, so they switched to Crazy Eights, a game Nora knew, so she played very fantastically. She wasn’t one to shrink back on annoying him the entire game. Both inside the game and outside. After their game night, they both laid down in Ray’s bed. It had been extremely awkward, until Nora gave up. She laid on her side, her back facing Ray and fell asleep shortly after, tired after such an unusual day, with so many new things. Ray fell asleep a little bit later. He couldn’t believe this yet; this was his family that was sleeping in his room. Yesterday he slept here alone, now three other people sleep here. His future wife in his bed and their future children in the two beds, on the other side of the room. Thinking about this positive outlook on his life, he fell asleep shortly after Nora.

 

During the night, Ray suddenly woke up to legs kicking against his and fists against his chest. Nora had turned around in her sleep and was having a nightmare, which made her so aggressive. Ray tried to get her hand, but suddenly, Nora’s eyes shot open. “No! Don’t- Don’t touch me!” Nora screamed, flinching away from Ray’s desperate touch. Nora’s eyes were wild, her breathing fast and shallow, her whole-body trembling in uncontrollable fear.

“I’m not going to hurt you,” Ray said, gently taking Nora by the hand and holding it firmly. Their eyes met. “Listen to me. It’s me, Ray. You’re safe and they aren’t going to hurt you again. I’m here now. Trust me, I won’t let anybody hurt you.”

Ray almost expected Nora to yank his hand away in her panic, but she didn’t – instead she relaxed a little, tears forming in her eyes, and let out a breath. “I …”

“It’s okay”, Ray said, smiled and pulled Nora into a hug. She didn’t resist. “It’s okay. I’m here.”

“Ray,” Nora whispered, recognizing her helper. “Why did you wake me? Why didn’t you go back to sleep?”

Ray chuckled. “You kicked me and hit me, so you were a little difficult to ignore. And you know I always want to help you.” Nora’s eyes widened from the shame of hearing this.

“I’m so sorry about the kicking and hitting, I didn’t know I did that when I was having a nightmare.”

“It doesn’t matter, can I do something for you right now?” Ray immediately offered to help her. Nora could think of only one thing that could help her right now, but she would never ask for that. He wouldn’t want that, and their relationship wasn’t there yet. If there was even a relationship to talk of.

So, Nora kept quiet. “Will you stay with me? I just want to be close to someone for a little while. Is that okay?”

Ray softly lifted her chin, so she had to look at him. “You know I’m always here for you, right?”

Nora nodded and laid her head on his chest. “I know.” They were quiet for a minute. “You were the only one who has always been there for me,” she mumbled quietly into his chest, she didn’t expect him to hear her. But he had heard her. Ray moved and pulled Nora with him and put her on his chest again. Nora kept laying there willingly and pretended to sleep, knowing that Ray was watching her. Monitoring her. But she didn’t want to break his thoughts, so she let him. Listening to Ray’s steady heartbeat calmed her, it soothed her so much so, that she fell asleep within seconds. She had never in her life slept so deep and so calming.

 

The next morning woke Nora up to two – very loud – whispering voices. She kept her eyes closed and tried to turn, until she realized there were two arms around her. She opened her eyes and saw Ray’s face immediately. 

“Good morning,” he said softly.

“Good morning,” she whispered quietly, but not quietly enough, soon she heard her two children crawl out of their beds and run towards her and Ray. Even knowing the children were coming, she was still startled when she felt about 35 pounds fall onto her legs.

“Hi, mommy,” Adam greeted her, who also laid on top of her legs. Rue then launched herself on top of Ray’s legs. Ray let go of Nora and Nora pulled Adam into her lap. Ray mirrored her actions, so they sat with the four of them on Ray’s bed, or Ray and Nora’s bed for the time being.

“Did you sleep okay?” Ray asked both the children. As an answer both children started nodding enthusiastically. “How about, I get breakfast and we eat it here, on the bed?” Three happy faces looked at Ray. Ray laughed at Rue and Adams facial expressions, which mirrored Nora’s. Oh, god, future him was going to be in so much trouble, knowing this was going to mean he would never be able to say no to them.

“Oh, and Ray,” interrupted Nora him, “don’t put butter in my coffee, please.” Nora teased. 

Ray chuckled. She either still remembered this from the time she kidnapped him, or the team had vented their very outspoken opinions onto her.

 

When Ray had left them alone, Rue crawled into her side and put her thumb into her mouth. “Mommy, tv?” Before Nora could react, Gideon let a television screen appear.

“Uh, alright, what do you want to watch?” Nora asked surprised, not knowing what to do with this.

“Musical, mommy.” The television screen started making noises and a little while later, a musical played on the screen. Right now, she was extremely thankful for the AI on the ship. The three of them were peacefully watching musicals – Nora was watching along, considering she still loved musicals – when Ray entered the room, carrying a serving tray with food. Ray admired his view for a while and sat on the bed, until the twins noticed that their dad had arrived with food. The four of them calmly enjoyed their breakfast, fabricated by Ray and Gideon.

 

Right after breakfast, when the four of them were still watching musicals, they were interrupted by the loud alarm on the ship. Ray and Nora looked at each other, both not knowing what to do. Nora not even knowing where the alarm was for. “There is a sudden change in the timeline,” Ray explained to Nora quickly. Nora nodded understandingly. “Are you two coming, or do you want to stay here, watching television?”

“Stay here,” Ray got as an answer. Ray and Nora got out of bed, and Ray grabbed Nora’s hand. He squeezed her hand in his, as encouragement and they ran together towards the bridge. The entire team was already there, and Sara explained their mission. Nora didn’t really listen to what Sara was saying, she was more focused on her hand, or more specifically on her hand that was still in Ray Palmer’s hand, until Sara said her name.

“Nora, you stay here with Rue and Adam.” Nora nodded. She had already expected this. The team didn’t trust her, and she completely understood their reasons. It wasn’t that long ago when she had tried to murder them and when she almost broke time. “Alright everyone, suit up!” Sara ordered and Nora and Ray went to the fabrication room together. Nora suddenly realized something. Ray had to go on the mission. Which meant that she was here, alone, with Rue and Adam. She had complete responsibility of two three-year-old’s. Only her. She was alone. No one to have her back.

“Nora, are you okay?” Without realizing, she had started to breathe faster and started shaking. “Why don’t you sit down?” Ray sat her down on the couch in the fabrication room and squatted before her. “Take a deep breath, Nora, slow deep breaths.” With Ray’s help, Nora calmed down. When Ray was really convinced that she was calm, he sat down beside her on the couch. “You want to talk about why you panicked?”

“Not really,” Nora responded honestly, “but I have a feeling that you think it is better and you would like me to talk?” Nora looked curiously at Ray.

“Of course, it is better to talk about it, but I don’t want to force you into talking. You have to make your own choices.”

“I panicked, because I realized that you would leave, and I would be left alone with Rue and Adam. And I’m terrified that I won’t be able to handle them.”

“Do you think that I would leave Rue and Adam in your care alone, if I didn’t have faith that you could handle it?”

“No,” Nora replied cautiously.

“I’m proud of you, Nora.” Nora looked at Ray in surprise.. “The past 24 hours you’ve been constantly available for Rue and Adam, even though you had to deal with so many new things and you’re trying so hard to become a better person. I’m just very proud of everything you do.” A single tear ran down her cheek. Ray took Nora in his arms.

“I wouldn’t have been able to do this without you.” Nora mumbled against Ray’s chest.

Ray let Nora go and looked at her. “Yes Nora, you did all of this by yourself. I have at most pointed you into the right direction.”

Nora studied her shoes but looked him in his eyes shortly after. “You saved my life, you know that?”

“And you gave me another reason to life and believe in love.” They kept sitting there for a while. The mission didn’t feel like their problem anymore. Neither of them wanted to move anyway. They sat too comfortably to move, and the silence was welcoming. For now, it was just Ray and Nora and nothing else mattered. Even with the twins, they would do it together from now on. Ray and Nora against the world. Forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm working on a third part for those who are interested, but my test week is coming up, so I don't know when it's finished.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again to my dear friend @MrsNoraPalmer for betaing this for me. You're amazing!

After the long and tiring mission, Ray finally came home to the Waverider, hoping put on his pajamas and go to bed. It was difficult to tell time in the Temporal Zone, but Ray guessed it was late in the evening, or the beginning of the night. Despite being used to the broken nights and crazy times to get up or go to bed, because of their missions, he was somehow exhausted. Something he did notice, though, was the silence on the ship. He thought that when he would get closer to Nora and his bedroom, he would hear Nora, Rue, or Adam. Nora had promised him that she would stay awake until he came back, she couldn’t make that same promise for their children, but knowing they could both be as stubborn as their mother, Ray thought they would also still be awake.

“Gideon, where are Nora, Rue, and Adam?” Ray decided to ask the AI.

“Miss Darhk and your children are in your bedroom, Doctor Palmer.’ Ray nodded understandingly and continued his way towards the bedroom.

The closer Ray came to his bedroom, the louder he heard the songs from ‘Singin In The Rain’ and unknowingly to him, he started to softly hum along with the songs. He let Gideon open the doors and what he found there, made his heart melt. The television was still on, but Nora, Rue, and Adam were huddled together in the bed. Nora and Rue had fallen asleep, yet Adam was still awake. He leaned tiredly against his mother but was awake enough to notice his father had just came home.

“Daddy!” Adam raced as fast as possible towards his father and Ray opened his arms already, making sure Adam could run directly into them. When Adam had put his arms around his dad, Ray lifted him from the ground, and they hugged each other closely. “Daddy, mommy and Rue promised to stay awake, but they fell asleep.”

Ray chuckled briefly and stroked Adam’s hair tenderly. “I know for sure that mommy and Rue really tried, but it was just too late to still stay awake.” Adam nodded, convinced that what his dad said was the truth. “Adam, it’s really, really late. How about I’ll put you to bed first and then I’ll bring Rue to bed? I just can’t put you two to bed at the same time by myself.” Adam looked conflicted, because this meant that he would go to bed before his sister and as siblings, that’s not done, of course. On the other hand, he was exhausted.

“Okay daddy.” Ray laid Adam in his bed and while Adam nestled himself in is bed, Ray tried to lift Rue out of the double bed, but Nora held onto Rue, which made it nearly impossible to get Rue. Ray’s eyes were full of even more love than before. Nora doubted whether she would become a good mother, but she kept showing him that she was already an amazing mother; even while she was asleep, she still unconsciously protected her child, making sure no one could take her. Ray finally removed Nora’s arms from Rue and Nora immediately hugged Ray’s pillow instead, making Ray chuckle. He lifted Rue carefully and carried her to her bed, to tuck her in afterwards.

“Daddy, read?” Adam inquired, waving with a children’s book in his hand. For a minute, Ray thought about what future him would do, at least four years into the future? Would he read to Adam, knowing that Adam would sleep later, or he wouldn’t read to Adam, making sure that Adam would still sleep on time? Ray decided swiftly; he didn’t care about what future him would do, he needed do what he felt right in this moment and that was reading to Adam. Adam was already late to bed anyway, so who cared about these ten more minutes?

When Ray finished reading to Adam, Adam fell asleep very quickly and Ray could finally go to bed. He made himself ready for bed and crawled next to Nora in bed. Nora must’ve felt the bed moving, because she immediately let go of the pillow and turned around to use Ray as her human pillow. Ray most certainly wasn’t going to complain and kissed the top of her head. “I’m so proud of you Nora. You can’t even begin to fathom how proud of you that I am.”

 

Nora woke up the next morning in an empty bed. Had Ray returned yet? When she fell asleep, weren’t Rue and Adam in her bed? She turned and saw Rue and Adam still asleep, but in their own beds. This calmed her down, she wouldn’t have to worry about them for now. Now there was only one question left: where was Ray? She sneaked out of her bedroom and was about to do some recon, when she realized she can just ask Gideon.

“Gideon, where is Ray?”

“Doctor Palmer is in his lab, Miss Darhk.” This answer reassured Nora and she was about to walk to his lab, when she heard her stomach. Perhaps having breakfast first would be a good idea. In the kitchen, Nora found Zari. Not a person Nora wanted to see so early in the morning. She gruffly turned on the fabricator and she pressed (not very carefully) on the right buttons for her breakfast.

“Somebody is cranky.”

“And someone needs to shut the fuck up.” Zari decided very wisely to keep her mouth shut and ate her breakfast, without talking to Nora. Nora grabbed her breakfast and walked towards the lab, where Ray was. She opened the door and snuck inside, where she saw Ray working. Only she couldn’t even properly enter before he already spotted her.

“Hey Nora, good morning.” He observed her for top to bottom. “Not to be rude, but you don’t look so good. I mean you usually always look great, but today you seem different and…” There was a silence. “I’m rambling, aren’t I?” Nora nodded. “Do you want to tell me what is going on?”

“I just ran into Zari and I just snapped at her for no reason and I don’t know what this is between us and I’m insecure and I don’t know if I can do all of this,” Nora blurted out. Ray must be a good influence on her, because she had never in her life been able to talk about her feelings with such ease.

Ray kept silent and was thinking. “How about we get off the Waverider for a little bit. Just you and me? Without Rue and Adam, just the two of us?”

Nora found the offer extremely tempting, being alone with Ray for a little. Right until the moment she thought about her children. Motherhood was difficult. “What would happen to Rue and Adam? We can’t just leave them on their own.”

Ray seemed to have thought about her question already, considering he answered within a couple seconds. “We can just ask Sara, she probably wouldn’t mind watching them for a little.”

“You’re one of a kind, Ray.”

 

And how Ray did it, no one will know, but there they were wandering through a park. Sara didn’t mind watching the twins, which gave them the freedom to do whatever they wanted. With every step, the two seemed to be walking even closer to each other, until the point where their hand softly touched. It was Nora who finally seized action and took his hand. She seemed confident, yet, she was terrified, but she knew it had to be done now, otherwise nothing would happen.

“I have to confess something,” Nora said, ultimately breaking their silence. The two of them kept walking at the same pace as they did before, something Nora could appreciate. When they walked like this, she wouldn’t have to look Ray in the eyes.

‘I’ll keep your secret, what’s up?”

“What is this between us?” Nora sounded reproachful, but Ray knew this was just a defense mechanism. It was the same as when she was extremely sarcastic, she was just too insecure, and she didn’t know what to expect. Nora stared at the ground, not daring to look Ray in the eyes.

“We’re more than just friends, and you secretly know that too.”

Nora smiled and looked up. “I was afraid that you wouldn’t feel the same or that this has all been an act for the children.”

Ray grabbed her hands with conviction and placed them on his chest, pulling Nora much closer. “Nora, I love you and I’m not just in love with you because you’ll be the mother of my children. I love you because I’ve loved you since the moment I met you.” Tears came into her eyes, not knowing that Ray had already loved her for so long. “And I know you love me too, but I didn’t want to force you into saying it back, so I stayed quiet. I wanted this to be your decision and not partially mine. There have been so many choices taken away from you in your life, Nora, and I didn’t want to take another one away.”

Nora couldn’t really say anything, and the tears streaming down her face, until she uttered four words: “I love you too.” Nora didn’t know how fast she could hug Ray and Ray held her as close as possible, not letting go anytime soon. That’s how they stood there. It could’ve been seconds, minutes or hours, none of it mattered anyway. Not even how it looked to other people walking through the park. The only thing that mattered, where the two of them and how much they clearly loved each other.

Ray and Nora eventually decided to get lunch, after Ray’s stomach started making funny noises – he hadn’t eaten since early morning after all. Ray with a gluten free sandwich and Nora with a big slice of pizza, they were sitting on a tiny bench on a hill, overlooking the whole park. Nora seemed at ease and oddly enough, that’s also how she truly felt. She never felt really this safe in her entire life. Not with her parents when she was a kid. Not with the Order when she was a teenager. Not when she was ‘free’ of the Order and she was with Mallus, there she felt more vulnerable than ever.

“You okay?” Ray wondered.

“Yeah, I just realized I have never felt this safe in my entire life, thanks to you.” Ray slipped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her against him. He didn’t feel her resist, making him extremely proud. She used to secretly resist when he or anyone else would touch her. She couldn’t really help it; it was her natural fight or flight reaction. Despite how much he wanted to help her, he would never be able to help her with this. Ray pressed his lips in her hair, making Nora feel extremely loved and appreciated.

“How about we walk further?” Ray suggested. He stood up, collected their trash, and threw it in the nearest bin. Afterwards he walked back to the bench and extended his hand. Nora took his hand, laughing, and hand in hand they walked further through the park. It was funny, because this was exactly what she needed. Almost like Ray could read her mind and her emotions but that might be a conversation for later.

 

Enjoying their peacefulness and nature, Ray and Nora walked around the park. At least, until they heard a portal opening. In less than no time, they turned around and ready to attack, when they saw who stood before them.

“Sorry for interrupting your date, -”

“It wasn’t a date…” Nora tried to defend herself, but they kept on talking.

“- but Rue and Adam continued to keep whining that they only wanted to see mommy and daddy and I tried to stall them for as long as possible and keep them on the Waverider, but it became impossible.” Sara explained in what seemed like one breath.

With a look of contempt on both of their faces, Rue and Adam flanked Sara. “We just missed mommy and daddy.”

“You guys are quite the pair, aren’t you?” Nora laughed, easily shifting back to mother mode.

Suddenly Adam saw something and enthusiastically pointed to his findings. “Mommy, daddy, can we play there?”

Nora and Ray turned around and saw to what Adam pointed to. It was a small playground for younger kids. “Go,” Ray gave his permission and before anyone could say anything else, the duo was already gone. “You can head back, Sara, we’ll handle it from here. Thank you so much for watching them.”

“Always here if you guys need me. Enjoy you date, even if it is with you kids from now on.”

“It’s not a date…” Nora tried to defend herself again, yet Sara was already gone through the portal and couldn’t hear her.

“Shall we see what our children are up to, Miss Darhk?”

“I think that’s an amazing idea, Mr. Palmer.”

 

They sat on a bench next to the playground in peace and quiet, watching their children who were playing, in nearly the same position as they sat before. Nora leaned into Ray, while Ray soothingly stroked through her hair.

“I want this,” Nora sighed hopelessly.

Ray wasn’t sure what she was talking about. “What do you want exactly?”

“I want to sit safely in your arms, watching our children play on the playground. I want to wake up in you arms every morning and I want to fall asleep in your arms every night, knowing this is, for me, the safest place in the world. I want to argue about who has to do the dishes or who has to do laundry and I want to become Mrs. Palmer. Ray, I want this future with you. Seeing you be an amazing father to Rue and Adam these past few days and knowing we are going to have those two children, has given me hope for our future. I want you, Ray Palmer.”

The only thing Ray could do is kiss her, so that’s what he did. It took a couple of seconds until Nora realized that he was kissing her, and that she could kiss him back. It was a kiss full of emotions. Mindblowing. Insecurity. Pride. Fear. But most important: a feeling of love. Love for each other and love for their children.

They slowly finished their kiss and looked at each other. “I wanted to do this for so long,” Ray muttered.

Nora hit playfully his chest. “Then why didn’t you do this sooner?”

Before Ray could even answer, Nora kissed him again. They got lost together. Until, of course, the twins had to ruin their moment, by climbing on top of them. But Nora didn’t care, for now. She would get to kiss Ray for the rest of her life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave your reaction here below in the comments, or come yell at me about anything on Twitter @noradarhkpalmer


	4. Chapter 4

“Sara, what are you doing?” Nora asked the blonde, when she had taken her by the arm and stormed to Ray’s bedroom, dragging Nora with her.

Ray just laid there on his bed, on his stomach, reading some science book. Nora recognized that book; he always read it when he was feeling anxious or just not good in general. At least, he used to.

Sara let go of Nora’s arm when they were in the middle of the room. “Figure it out,” Sara spoke in riddles and left the room, locking the door on her way out. 

Nora ran to the door, hoping to get in open, but it was too late. She shortly glanced at Ray, who was still reading his book and seemed undisturbed about Nora’s entrance or the fiasco before with Sara. She snorted and started folding the clothes from the laundry basket. She folded as he read. Maybe for an outsider, they seemed like a normal couple, but they weren’t. They weren’t even a couple at all. 

She collected all of Ray’s now folded underwear from the basket and opened his drawers. After living in his quarters for a while, she knew exactly where everything was supposed to be. Now that had proven to be extremely helpful in moments like this so she could delay having to talk to him.

She put the folded underwear where they belonged as she saw a small simple black box. It was simple, but somehow still elegant. She glanced at Ray, who was still immersed in his book and opened the small box.

Nora’s eyes immediately embiggened when she saw what was in the box. From the box, a beautiful silver ring appeared. Some people might’ve found the ring too simple, but she adored the one. It was the most stunning ring she had ever seen.

“Ray?” Nora asked, not facing Ray. He looked up from his book and stared at her back, not feeling particularly welcome towards her. Nora turned, showing Ray the box and the ring. “What is this?”

Sad, moody, peevish were all words that could describe her mood since the twins had to go back to their own time. They left her and now she was left alone with her overprotective feelings and motherly instincts. She missed being woken up by two sweet little voices, having conversations about the most random things or getting a hug, before she even realized she needed one, as an act of how much they loved her. 

Never in her life she felt this loved, this pure unconditional love she got. She wasn’t used to that kind of love in her life; she never got that when she was a child. Yet Adam and Rue gave it to her in excess. 

Since they were gone and left this big hole in her heart, she picked up a new hobby. You couldn’t call it a hobby really, more a way for her to deal with the feelings she did not know how to deal with. She couldn’t exactly google the answer to what to do in these kinds of situations, could she?

It was not only the feelings about Rue and Adam leaving that gnawed at her, it was also the feelings about her and Ray. They hadn’t exactly talked since the twins left. Or you could just say they hadn’t talked at all. They only communicated if it had something to do with the twins or the usual superficial things. 

What if it was all an act he performed because the twins were here? If he was in love with her, why did he leave her alone and didn’t talk to her? But what if he wasn’t in love with her anymore? What if he had never been in love with her at all? 

Ray jumped out of bed, dropping his book on the floor, nearly tripping over his own feet. “Where did you find that?” His tone was harsh and unkind, not his usual sweet and loving tone. 

He ripped the box out of her hands as she started talking, “I found it in your underwear drawer. I started folding and wanted to clean it up and I found it,” she rambled. 

His eyes flickered with hate, but also with a sadness. “You shouldn’t have found it.”

Nora shrugged her shoulders as she squinted her eyes. “Well I did.” They let a silence fall, until Nora broke it, “For who was the ring? For Kendra? For Felicity?” she referred to his ex-girlfriends.

Small tears welled up in Ray’s eyes and a small lump filled his throat. “No,” he said softly. 

“Then for who was it?” 

Ray grabbed her by her underarms, forcing her to stare her in his face. “Don’t you get it, Nora? This ring was meant for you.”

Nora’s face fell as her eyes burned with disappointment. “Was?”

“Is. Is,” he stuttered. “The ring is meant for you.”

Nora released a breath she didn’t know she was holding as they both fell into a silence, processing what had just happened. Ray finally let go on Nora’s arm, for Nora was that the perfect sign to sit down on the edge of his bed. 

“Why did you buy me a ring?” Nora asked him tenderly.

Ray paced through the room in silence, feeling clearly uncomfortable. Right until in one moment he found the courage to grab a chair and place it in front of where Nora sat on the bed. He sat down and the bewildered look in the eyes changed into a sparkling tender one. “Because I would like to marry you one day.”  
Nora’s eyes lit up. “You want to marry me?”

Ray grinned. “If you want to marry me, then yes, there is nothing more on this earth I want more.”

Nora swallowed hard. “You’re serious,” she concluded.

Ray nodded.

“This isn’t possible. I never thought you’d want this as much as I wanted. I thought you hated me or at least didn’t love me.”

Ray lovingly took her hands and pressed a kiss on it. “I wanted to give you your space, but you were also so distant that I thought that you didn’t want to stand being in one room with me, so I thought it would be easier for you if I pretended that I hated you too.”

“Oh my God,” Nora exclaimed. “I was and am so in love with you that I physically hurt when I’m apart from you.”

Ray stood up and grabbed the black box from the dresser as he went down on one knee in front of Nora. “My dearest Nora,” Nora’s eyes already started tearing up before he could even fully begin, “I originally had this big proposal planned on the place where we met, but life happened, and you found this ring.” Ray looked Nora in the eyes and they both giggled. “We are a team and I’d like for us to stay a team forever, raising our children as well as we can. because I know that we can do it. We’ve already proven that...”

“Yes,” Nora interrupted his already beautiful speech, not wanting to wait a second longer. “Yes, I want to marry you and become Mrs. Palmer one day.”

Ray smiled and indulged her into a loving stare. “So, this is for real, we’re absolutely sure and both a one hundred percent in?”

“Yes, I’m all in.” Nora smiled back “One hundred percent.”

xxxx

A couple weeks later, Nora walked into their room, with a noticeable smile on her face. But now the time for wallowing in her own pain was over and after everything that Ray had done for her since the twins left, it was time for her to surprise him. He took care of her and she loved him for it, but it was time to start taking care of herself.

Ray was busy in his lab, so Nora found it the perfect time to set her plan into motion. She grabbed Ray’s phone, which was on the charger on his nightstand and unlocked it. His passcode was their wedding date, making it not so difficult for Nora to guess… She quickly changed what she wanted to change and locked the phone again, putting the phone back in the exact same spot as where she took it from. Now it was time for phase two of her little plan.

xxxx

Nora marched into Sara’s room, but almost immediately regretted her course of action and raced out of the room.

Nora heard some movement inside the room and seconds later, Sara exited her room, staring at Nora. “Nora Darhk, you couldn’t have knocked?”

Nora rolled her eyes. “It’s Nora Palmer,” she corrected her, but Sara didn’t seem amused enough to deal with this, “I wanted to ask if you could carry out your part of the plan to surprise Ray, but you seem very busy.”

Sara sighed. “Yeah, well, it’s been pretty difficult for Ava and me to have some time to do anything together and you all screwing up my time, makes it even more difficult.”

Nora sent her an apologetic smile.

Sara smiled weakly. “I’ll carry it out right now, can you then please leave us be for the rest of the day?”

Nora nodded her head like a four-year-old who has just been offered candy and she put her arms around Sara, leaving them both stunned. She quickly let go of her and they shared a weird look. They did not have this kind of friendship and neither of them were really huggers. “Thank you, Sara.”

Sara walked back into the room, but Nora heard a soft “Don’t mention it”, leaving Nora alone in the hallway, but with a thankful smile on her face.

 

Nora hurried back to her room, and saw that Ray had a missed message, from Sara. Sara had done her part, which she was delighted with. She took Ray’s phone and skipped to the lab. While trying to hide her smile, she walked through the door. She nervously moved her weight from one leg to the other. “Ray, honey, Sara texted you.”

Ray turned around and a big smile appeared when he saw Nora and he walked towards her. “Hi, you’re out of bed?” he remarked, completely ignoring what Nora had said before. He honestly hadn’t heard what she had said.

“I am,” she confirmed. They kissed, giggling. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” he breathed while he kissed her again and again, smothering her with kisses. “Why did you come all the way down here?”

Nora broke out of Ray’s embrace. “Sara messaged you,” she said as she handed him his phone. Nora kept watching him, while Ray typed in his code to unlock his phone. He opened his messaging app, not noticing that anything had changed on his phone and read the message.

Nora started biting her lip and her hand trembled. “And?” she questioned, while she grew more and more anxious by the second. What if he wouldn’t notice the change at all?

He closed his phone and looked at her and locked his screen.

That was it. There did her plan go. The plan with which she hoped to surprise him.

Ray re-opened his screen and unlocked his phone again, staring at the wallpaper that Nora had changed. “Nora, what is this? I don’t get it. What did you do with my screen?”

Nora facepalmed and rolled her eyes. “Why did I marry such a dumbass?” she muttered, not intended for Ray to hear, yet he heard. She turned sideways and lifted her shirt. “You put babies in there.”

For Ray, suddenly the math made sense. One plus one plus two equals four. It wasn’t that hard. “OH RIGHT, THAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN EVENTUALLY!”

Nora sighed very loudly. “You’re lucky that our babies are so cute, because I’ve been knocked up by an idiot.”

Ray ran towards her and kissed her. “Mini you’s are always cute.”

Nora gently pushed Ray away, creating a little distance between them. “You know, science says that I can get pregnant while already pregnant. It’s rare, but don’t put any ideas in my head, Raymond Carson Palmer.”

Ray’s face turned red. “I’m in so much trouble.”

Nora snorted. “Yes, you are, mister.”

“You know, it’s a shame Adam and Rue never told us how many siblings they have.” Nora stared at Ray, not following where he was going. “Then we would know how many mini you’s we would get.”

“They are not mini me’s,” Nora muttered, trying to defend herself.

Ray took Nora’s hand and walked with her to the table and chairs on the other side of the room. “They are literal copies of you, my love.” Nora was about to start talking, but Ray shushed her. “At least admit that all that sass is yours.”

Nora crossed her arms. “And what about it?”

Ray pulled Nora in his lap and kissed the top of her head. “I just want to know how many times I’m the luckiest man on the planet. Once over with you, twice more with the twins, plus any more we have is an addition time over I’ve become the luckiest man in the multiverse.”

“How did I get this lucky?” she exhaled happily.

Ray pulled her even closer. “You’re lucky? I’m the luckiest, because I’ll have the most beautiful children with the most gorgeous woman in the multiverse, who so happens to be my wife.”

Nora smirked. “And who might this gorgeous woman be?”

“Funny girl,” he laughed, “that would be my very own wife, Nora Palmer.” They both enjoyed the silence for a minute. “You remember that one day when I was confronting you in an alleyway with our children from the future?” Nora nodded and looked at him in anticipation. “Now we’re actually having those babies.”

xxxx

The pair lounged lazily on their bed in their room, sharing kisses and talking to Nora’s ever-growing belly. It was a Sunday afternoon and Ray had just been on a mission, meaning they would have a pizza party this evening.

“Ray?” Nora drew the attention of her husband. Ray looked up and examined his wife’s face. “Do you think we should tell the rest of the team about our little secret?” She swallowed hard. “I mean, I’ve passed the thirteen-week mark and I’m not going to be able to keep it a secret for much longer.”

Ray gently stroked over her increasingly visible belly. “If you want to, then we’ll announce the news tonight, if you want to wait, then we’ll wait.”

Nora’s grinned. “You’re the best.” She pulled him closer to kiss him. “And you’re going to be the best daddy for these two peanuts.”

Ray stood up, lent Nora a hand to get up from the bed and pulled her close. “If we’re going to announce your pregnancy tonight, then wear that wonderful dress that you got a couple weeks ago?” he breathed into her ear.

Nora felt the good kind of shivers run down her back. He left her speechless and unable to move for a couple seconds. How was it that they have been together for almost half a year and he still made her feel this way? “I will,” she promised.

Ray left the room for Nora to change, satisfied with her answer. He had grabbed his clothes already and would change in the bathroom and then go to the lab, letting her use their room for as long as she needed.

Nora fell back onto the bed and stared at the ceiling, still feeling the adrenaline that Ray caused coursing through her body. “I really have to learn how to control myself with him around,” she said to herself into the silence.

xxxx 

Ray and Nora walked into the galley, hand in hand with her belly on display. The group was deep in lively conversation that they hadn’t heard them enter. It wasn’t until Nate noticed them and stood up, that the room fell silent.

“Haircut, you knocked her up?” Mick grunted. Ray chuckled by Mick’s choice of words and shared short eye contact with Nora. “I did knock her up indeed.” He put his hand on her belly again, making Nora smile. “So, we’re very happy to let you all know that in about 24 weeks two little bundles of joy will join us.”

Ava’s mouth dropped. “You’re already thirteen weeks pregnant and none of us noticed?”

“Nearly fourteen,” Nora smiled as she corrected her friend.

The team uncomprehendingly shook their head, while they stood up one after one to hug the pair. Nora gladly accepted the hugs from the team, her husband’s love for hugs really rubbing off on her and Ray, forever the lover of hugs, hugged his team even more. They would always be his family, even if he was creating a new family with Nora.

 

As the team sat down and Sara and Ava served the pizza’s, Nate studied Nora. “You guys still don’t have an explanation about why Adam and Rue were dropped off here?” he asked.

Ray and Nora sadly shook their heads. “We put them back and we never heard from them again.” Ray soothingly put his hand on Nora’s back as she was about to start crying. She would blame the pregnancy hormones, but she honestly just missed the joyful pair around her. “We have been going over possible explanation, but I guess we’ll never know for sure.”

Nate nodded understandingly, while Sara raised her glass. “Let’s raise our glass to Ray and Nora, that everything may go well with the pregnancy and that in a couple months we finally get to re-meet your twins.” They clinked the glasses, and everyone took a sip of their drink.

Nate gestured to Ray and Nora, trying to signal to one of them to make some sort of speech. Ray was about to stand up, but Nora beat him to it.

She took her glass of water again and held it anxiously in her hand. “Thanks for your kind words, Sara. Now that everyone important to the both of us is here, we would like to make an announcement.” Nora nervously shifted from one leg to the other, letting everyone know how nervous she was. “Ray and I talked about who the godmother of our baby boy and our baby girl should be, but we actually decided very quickly. It wasn’t even a real decision, because we both already knew. She was the one who actually met our children before we even met them. Sara, would you be the godmother of our children?”

Sara didn’t answer, she just stared at them. Like her eyes were about to pop out of her head and her mouth nearly dropped to the floor from shock. “You want me, an ex-assassin, to be the godmother of your children?”

Nora and Ray nodded in sync. “Nothing we would want more.”

Tears streamed down Sara’s face, a side that not many people had seen before from the captain. Sara sprung up and hugged the soon to be parents. “Thank you so much for trusting me to take care of your children if you’re not around to do so,” she thanked them.

Ray pulled her in for another hug. Out of everyone here, they knew each other the longest and had developed quite a bond over the years. “Nobody I would trust more than the captain who leads us through everything and who keeps all the Legends in line.”

Sara smiled through her tears and rapidly wiped her tears from her face. Her bloodshot eyes still betrayed her and let everyone know that she had cried, but for now Sara didn’t care. “Now that this sweet moment is over, I think it’s time to celebrate.” Sara glanced at Nate and Nate quickly understood his assignment to put on some music. “To Ray and Nora’s babies aka my godchildren!”

 

It may have sounded weird, but between this team of outcasts and misfits, Nora had found a home. Not just a home, also a family that was part of her home. A family that would stay her family despite anything that might happen. She and Ray would form a little family of four once the babies would be born, but these people, they were already her family.

Six months ago, she was on the run from these people, but Adam and Rue turned her life around. She stopped running away from the Legends and the Time Bureau. She dared to stay on the ship, to take care of her children from the future and through these children, her and Ray had fallen in love. She owed her kids everything and she would forever grateful, because they gave her something that she had never really had in her life: a home to come home to and a family to love and support her no matter what.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that was the end of Auntie Sara... Never did I think the one-shot I wrote on a rainy Sunday afternoon would change my life and drag me back into writing, and I've never been so grateful.
> 
> There is one person in particular I have to thank, because without her, this probably would still be a one-shot and I would've given up on writing in English and that is @MrsNoraPalmer . Thank you so much for everything you've done for me and this story!
> 
> I hope I'll see all of you when I publish another darhkatom story!
> 
> All my love,  
> Anna Noëlle

**Author's Note:**

> I’m doubting whether I want to write a sequel. Please, let me know if you want one!


End file.
